Onion skins- lottery betting game

ABSTRACT

The invention is drawn towards a lottery betting game where the players of a skins game are selected by means of lottery tickets. According to the present invention each winner of the lottery may participate the skins game and each skins player shall win at least one skin.

PRIORITY

This application claims priority of U.S. provisional patent application No. 60/556038 filed on Mar. 24^(th) 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to games and more specifically to lottery betting games.

2. Background of the Invention

The classic skins game is known art of playing golf. In the classic skins game a group of golfers goes out to see who can get the lowest score on each hole individually. A set value for each hole is determined prior to the play. Each player plays each hole and counts his or her own scores. At any hole if a player scores the lowest score of all the players in the game, that player wins the predetermined value of the hole. This is called a “skin”. A modification of the classic skins game is so called carryover skins game in which the value of any hole that has no winner is carried over an added to the value of the next hole. The player that accumulates the most “skins” is declared the winner.

There is a large number of board and card games as well as video games embodying golf game. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,069 discloses a golf scorecard game having one embodiment on classic skins game. U.S. Pat. No. 5,234, 218 discloses a dice golf game also with an embodiment on classic skins game. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 2003/0160387 discloses a tournament golf game that can be played as a table game or as a video game.

None of the known prior art discloses a skins game where the player must win a lottery before being eligible to play, where each player is guaranteed with one “skin”,and where the number of skins is limited to certain amount. The present invention includes all these characteristics and the method disclosed in this invention can be applied among others to board games, card games, TV games, scratch- off lottery games and video games. The game according to the present invention can also be played in golf and mini golf courts.

A further application of the present method to play skins game is to use it for advertising and charity purposes for example in the internet or television. A still further application is a game where one player is playing against a machine or a computer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention combines the principles of a lottery and golf to provide a unique betting game. The game is called Onion Skins. In order to participate in an Onion Skins contest one has to buy a lottery ticket. The lottery ticket can be any kind of lottery ticket; a scratch-off ticket, a simple ticket with winning number or any other kind of lottery ticket showing the winners that can participate in the Onion Skins contest. In the lottery one or more players are randomly selected to play eighteen holes of golf. The value of one hole is 1/18^(th) of the total prize, which can be the full sum gathered from the lottery tickets, or it can be determined to be less. In order to win an Onion Skin ( 1/18^(th) of the total prize), a player must have the lowest score of the players. If two or more players are tied for the lowest score, 1/18^(th) of the prize, i.e. one Onion Skin accrues to the next hole, making the next hole worth 2/18^(th) of the total prize, i.e. two Onion Skins. If again two or more players are tied for the lowest score the prize accrues to the next hole, which then is worth of 3/18^(th) of the total prize. The maximum a player can win is nine Onion Skins. Should a player accumulate nine or more Onion Skins before the 18 holes are played, the player has to retire and any accumulated Onion Skins over nine are competed for by the remaining players on the next hole. If one player is playing against a machine or a computer and he/she or the machine wins the full nine skins before all the 18 holes are played, then the 9 skins winner is the winner of the game. The game will either be ended at this point or the player may continue playing with the knowledge that winner is already determined. In the event of any tie on the eighteenth hole, extra holes shall be played until a winner is determined. The players will be awarded the Onion Skins they won. However, in no event shall a player be awarded less than one Onion Skin for their participation in the event. If one player did not win any skins on any individual holes she or he will be awarded one Onion Skin at the eighteenth or any extra hole that is to be played and this Onion Skin is reduced from the winner of this hole.

An example of a score card of Onion Skins game: Hole Player 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 John 4 3 5 3 5 3 4 5 2 4 5 6 3 5 4 4 3 5 Chris 4 3 4 2 4 3 2 4 3 4 4 5 3 3 — — — — Paul 4 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 2 3 4 5 3 4 3 4 3 4 Mae 3 5 4 2 4 4 3 3 4 3 4 5 3 4 2 5 3 3

Hole 1: Mae wins one skin.

Hole 2: No skin is won, one skin ( 1/18^(th) of the total prize) is carried over to hole 3.

Hole 3: Paul wins two skins.

Hole 4: No skin is won, one skin is carried over to hole 5.

Hole 5: No skin is won, two skins are carried over to hole 6.

Hole 6: No skin is won, three skins are carried over to hole 7.

Hole 7: Chris wins four skins.

Hole 8: No skins are won. One skin is carried over to hole 9.

Hole 9: No skins are won. Two skins are carried over to hole 10.

Hole 10: No skins are won. Three skins are carried over to hole 11.

Hole 11: No skins are won. Four skins are carried over to hole 12.

Hole 1: No skins are won. Five skins are carried over to hole 13.

Hole 13: No skins are won. Six skins are carried over to hole 14.

Hole 14: Chris would have won 7 skins (holes 8-14), however she cannot win more than nine total skins, therefore she leaves the contest with nine skins after fourteen holes and hole 15 is now worth 3 skins to the remaining players.

Hole 15: Mae wins 3 skins.

Hole 16: No skin is won. One skin is carried over to hole 17.

Hole 17: No skins are won. Two skins are carried over to hole 18.

Hole 18: Paul would have won 3 skins (holes 16-18), however since John has not won a skin and is guaranteed one skin, Paul wins 2 skins and John receives one skin.

Total Skins won:

John: One

Chris: Nine

Paul: Four

Mae: Four

The method of Onion Skins game can be applied, but is not limited to a board game, a dart game, a card game, a toss game among other embodiments.

The golf game can also be played on a real golf course, on a mini golf course, on a virtual golf course in internet or as any kind of electronic game.

When Onion Skins is played as a board or card game or any similar kind of entertainment game, each player candidate buys a lottery ticket. The price of the ticket can be for example playing coins, playing bills or real money. The four players to participate the Onion Skins game can be for example chosen based on a number that is printed on the lottery ticket. The method to select the four winners of the lottery is not limited to this, but other possible methods may also be used.

When being used in advertisement campaign, the willing players can get lottery tickets for example when buying certain product. The winners of the lottery may then be allowed to play Onion Skins for example in the internet or on a TV show. The player can as well be chosen based on calling order to a given phone number.

When used for charity purposes Onion Skins can be played for example in the internet, on TV, but as well as an out doors contest. Each willing player is buying the lottery ticket and the total prize for Onion Skin game is determined to be less than the total of the ticket purchases. The difference between the money collected and the prize shall be used for charity or other chosen purpose.

An advantage of the present method to play skins golf game is that everybody is guaranteed to win at least one skin. A further advantage of the present game is the excitement provided by first participating the lottery where the players are selected. A still further advantage of the method is that it can be used in advertisement purposes. An even further advantage of the present game is that it can easily be played as well outside, in the internet, as a video-, board, card, television or any other type of common entertainment games.

The foregoing description of the invention has been directed to particular preferred embodiments for purposes of explanation and illustration. It will become apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications and changes may be made without departing form the scope and spirit of the invention. 

1. A method to play an entertainment game, said method comprising the steps of: a) a plurality of players buying lottery tickets, said lottery tickets being a means to select one or more players to continue the game; and b) having been selected to continue the game, participating in playing a golf game, said golf game having a prize and the prize being determined based on number of lottery tickets sold to the plurality of players, said golf game further having eighteen holes and each hole being worth of one onion skin, said onion skin having a value of 1/18^(th) of the golf game prize, and playing the golf game further consisting the steps of: i) trying to get a ball into a hole at each of the eighteen holes at time; ii) getting scores based on number of trials needed to get the ball into the hole; iii) at any one of the holes when getting a smaller score than any other player winning an onion skin at the hole; iv) when more than one player are tied with smallest score at a hole the onion skin shall accrue to the next hole; v) retiring from the game when receiving nine or more onion skins and giving any onion skins over nine to be competed at next of the eighteen holes by remaining players; vi) when winning at the eighteenth hole giving the onion skin of the hole to any player that did not get a single onion skin during the game; vii) playing an extra hole if at the eighteenth hole no player has more onion skins than other players, viii) when winning at the extra hole giving the onion skin of the hole to any player that did not get a single onion skin during the game, and ix) winning the game when having accumulated more onion skins than other players when all the holes are played.
 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the golf game is played on a television show.
 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the golf game is a board game.
 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the golf game is an internet game.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the golf game is played on golf course.
 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the golf course is a mini golf course.
 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lottery ticket is a scratch-off lottery ticket.
 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the prize of the game is less than of the sum collected from the players buying the lottery tickets and difference between the sum collected and the prize is used for any predetermined purpose.
 9. An entertainment game, said game comprising: a) a pool of lottery tickets available to be bought by a plurality of players, said lottery tickets being a means to select players to continue the game; b) having been selected to continue the game, participating in playing a golf game, said golf game having a prize and the prize being determined based on number of lottery tickets sold to the plurality of players, said golf game further having eighteen holes and each hole being worth of one onion skin, said onion skin having a value of 1/18^(th) of the golf game prize, and playing the golf game further consisting the steps of: i) trying to get a ball into a hole at each of the eighteen holes at time; ii) getting scores based on number of trials needed to get the ball into the hole; iii) at any one of the holes when getting a smaller score than any other player winning an onion skin at the hole; iv) when more than one player are tied with smallest score at a hole the onion skin shall accrue to the next hole; v) retiring from the game when receiving nine or more onion skins and giving any onion skins over nine to be competed at next of the eighteen holes by remaining players; vi) when winning at the eighteenth hole giving the onion skin of the hole to any player that did not get a single onion skin during the game; vii) playing an extra hole if at the eighteenth hole no player has more onion skins than other players, viii) when winning at the extra hole giving the onion skin of the hole to any player that did not get a single onion skin during the game, and ix) winning the game when having accumulated more onion skins than other players when all the holes are played.
 10. The entertainment game according to claim 9, wherein the golf game is played on a television show.
 11. The entertainment game according to claim 9, wherein the golf game is a board game.
 12. The entertainment game according to claim 9, wherein the golf game is an internet game.
 13. The entertainment game according to claim 9, wherein the game is played on a golf course.
 14. The entertainment game according to claim 13, wherein the golf course is a mini golf course.
 15. The entertainment game according to claim 9, wherein the lottery ticket is a scratch-off lottery ticket.
 16. The entertainment game according to claim 9, wherein the prize of the game is less than of the sum collected from the players buying the lottery tickets and difference between the sum collected and the prize is used for any predetermined purpose. 